Rice Consortium Helped Spark Biotech Researchers’ Inner Entrepreneur

Operations at the Houston Area Translational Research Consortium, or HATRC, are winding down for closure in June, but, in its two years of existence, the biotech initiative helped to overcome a roadblock in life sciences commercialization that lingered for decades. So says Cindy Farach-Carson, vice president of translational bioscience at Rice University and scientific director … Continue reading “Rice Consortium Helped Spark Biotech Researchers’ Inner Entrepreneur”

Texas Roundup: “Moon Shots,” TeVido, TMCx, Clarify & Spanning

This last week was an especially busy one for the biotech community in Houston, from using big data to fight cancer to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs at the Texas Medical Center. In Austin, meanwhile, Clarify raised a seed round, Spanning’s founders found an exit with EMC, and TeVido BioDevices worked on creating a … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: “Moon Shots,” TeVido, TMCx, Clarify & Spanning”

History, Yes, But Biologist’s Imagination Is No Flight Of Fancy

Any book about life science innovation that starts with quotes from Frank Zappa and Albert Einstein promises to be a good read. The Biologist’s Imagination holds to that promise, as authors William Hoffman and Leo Furcht, both of the University of Minnesota Medical School, take several forays back in history to explain the “crossroads”—perhaps an … Continue reading “History, Yes, But Biologist’s Imagination Is No Flight Of Fancy”

Gravitant Garners $25,000,000 Series B Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=cf3109b9-1477-4f16-b335-938fd5f8c050 Date 11/4/2014 Company Name Gravitant Mailing Address 11940 Jollyville Rd Austin, TX 78759 USA Company Description Founded by innovative executives with over five decades of experience in Enterprise IT Management, operations research, and service oriented architectures (SOA), Gravitant is a leader in the cloud brokerage and management space. Website http://www.gravitant.com Transaction … Continue reading “Gravitant Garners $25,000,000 Series B Round”

MD Anderson Showcases “Moon Shots” Progress in Fight Against Cancer

Through its “Moon Shots” program, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center aims to use big-data techniques to radically change how cancer is treated—and, perhaps, help find a cure. The goal is decades old, of course, but the institute hopes new technologies will enable its teams to make significant progress in patient care in … Continue reading “MD Anderson Showcases “Moon Shots” Progress in Fight Against Cancer”

Innovation Hub: How Immigrants Fuel Innovation

Immigration policy reform is a hot-button issue right now, but it’s affecting the innovation economy in unexpected ways. U.S. companies are having a hard time recruiting enough skilled workers to fill all their high-level science, tech, and engineering positions. I discussed the issue with Stanford Law School professor Dan Siciliano and Silicon Valley Leadership Group … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: How Immigrants Fuel Innovation”

New to Data Analytics? Here’s 3 Simple Steps For Getting Started

Since I got involved in the big data and analytics world a few years ago, I’ve become the person that friends come to (and refer their friends to) for answers to questions about data. Recently I’ve been asked a few times by entrepreneurs how they can make sure their company is prepared to do analytics, … Continue reading “New to Data Analytics? Here’s 3 Simple Steps For Getting Started”

6Qube Receives $100,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2bea2979-c94f-4a18-9749-0dd30c899a29 Date 10/31/2014 Company Name 6Qube Mailing Address 715 Discovery Blvd. Cedar Park, TX 78613 USA Company Description 6Qube is a leader in internet marketing software and services providing technology before sales to produce results quickly and cost effectively for businesses of all sizes. Website http://www.6qube.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $100,000 … Continue reading “6Qube Receives $100,000 New Funding Round”

TeVido Taps 3D Printing Technology to Build a Better Nipple

Thirty-four years ago the five-year survival rate for women with breast cancer was 74 percent. Today, that number is 99 percent. The good news in increased life expectancy also exposed a gap in innovation in breast reconstruction surgery. “The better the survival rate, the more important long-term quality of life is,” says Laura Bosworth, CEO … Continue reading “TeVido Taps 3D Printing Technology to Build a Better Nipple”

Trustev Offers Anti-Fraud Tech, From Cork to New York

Being able to trust online transactions is a major part of e-commerce. But given the data breaches du jour, the technology meant to prevent fraud may also stop legitimate business. What’s a website to do? Trustev, founded in Cork, Ireland, and with U.S. offices in New York and Dallas, is trying to solve this problem. … Continue reading “Trustev Offers Anti-Fraud Tech, From Cork to New York”

I Believe in Angels

My colleague and friend Jeb Spencer recently wrote a piece for Xconomy about angel investors looking for “Unicorns,” those rare early stage companies with valuations—justified or not—of $1 billion or more. He wondered if angels are flying too close to the sun by misunderstanding their chances of success and failing to do their homework on … Continue reading “I Believe in Angels”

Clarify Receives $1,000,000 Seed Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=21c5c0b0-1482-4c07-83b3-20ebfa228dac Date 10/30/2014 Company Name Clarify Mailing Address 501 Pedernales St. Austin, TX 47804 USA Company Description The world has moved beyond text. That simple understanding is at the heart of what we’re doing at Clarify (formerly OP3Nvoice). Ever since the invention of the Gutenberg press human knowledge has been preserved and … Continue reading “Clarify Receives $1,000,000 Seed Funding”

Krimmeni Technologies Obtains $11,700,000 Series A Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=567dd7b1-7c08-4dc0-b30e-45c9fc6209ee Date 10/30/2014 Company Name Krimmeni Technologies Mailing Address 9442 Capital of Texas Highway North Arboretum Plaza One Austin, TX 78759 USA Company Description Krimmeni Technologies is a cybersecurity startup founded by veterans of Apple and Broadcom with offices in Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas. Collectively, we have delivered over $2 billion … Continue reading “Krimmeni Technologies Obtains $11,700,000 Series A Round”

Innovation in Ireland: Overview to Xconomy’s Special Report

Until earlier this October, the only time I had visited Ireland was in April of 1989, on the World B. Tour. A group of American former collegiate basketball players came to the Emerald Isle on a hoops tour, taking part in an international tournament outside Dublin and playing exhibition games against Irish all-stars and holding … Continue reading “Innovation in Ireland: Overview to Xconomy’s Special Report”

Panel: Houston Needs Seasoned CEOs to Build Robust Biotech Ecosystem

There is a buzz among Houston’s biotech and life sciences community. In recent weeks, both the Texas Medical Center and Johnson & Johnson have announced ambitious programs aimed at boosting commercialization in a way never before seen in the state. And last week, during the FreshAir conference—a University of Texas System initiative designed to connect … Continue reading “Panel: Houston Needs Seasoned CEOs to Build Robust Biotech Ecosystem”

MediGain Obtains $38,000,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=282ed9ee-bd4b-4263-906d-dda113419ae1 Date 10/28/2014 Company Name MediGain Mailing Address 2800 Dallas Pkwy. Plano, TX 75093 USA Company Description MediGain was established in 2002 in Dallas as a full-service revenue cycle management company to enable healthcare providers to navigate and succeed in an increasingly complex reimbursement environment. Website http://www.medigain.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction … Continue reading “MediGain Obtains $38,000,000 New Financing”

Houston Meets the Xconomists, Spotlights Energy, Biotech Innovation

A golden early evening served as host for our second annual Houston “Meet the Xconomists” reception last week when we welcomed nearly 70 of the city’s innovation leaders. Xconomy publisher Jim Edwards joined me, along with Kamille McIver-Girton, Texas’s director of business operations, to welcome our Xconomists to Carrabba’s, a landmark Italian restaurant in Houston. … Continue reading “Houston Meets the Xconomists, Spotlights Energy, Biotech Innovation”

Texas Roundup: Mozido, BeatBox, Spinlister, J-Labs, Macheen, Cratejoy

Golden days and cooler evenings have returned to Texas and homes are dressed in their Halloween finery. But there’s no spooky vibe among Texas’s entrepreneurs. Here is the latest innovation news throughout the state. —Mozido, an Austin, TX-based developer of cloud-based mobile payment systems and marketing software, said it has secured a two-part round of … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Mozido, BeatBox, Spinlister, J-Labs, Macheen, Cratejoy”

On a Wing and a Prayer: 300,000 Angels in Search of a Unicorn

As co-founder and managing partner of San Diego’s TVC Capital, I awake every morning to a certain routine that includes scanning my Term Sheet e-mail to see what investments and acquisitions got done in the tech space. I have noticed in recent years that the space Dan Primack has devoted to investments is long, while … Continue reading “On a Wing and a Prayer: 300,000 Angels in Search of a Unicorn”

Mozido Garners $185,000,000 Series B Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=289c33e5-bdfe-41bb-bb17-57fe532b46e7 Date 10/24/2014 Company Name Mozido Mailing Address 1601 South Mopac Expressway Austin, TX 78746 USA Company Description Across mobile phones, through point-of-sale terminals, over the Internet – Mozido offers the services your customers need, where they need them. Website http://www.mozido.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $185,000,000 Transaction Round Series B … Continue reading “Mozido Garners $185,000,000 Series B Round”

J&J to Open J-Labs Incubator at Houston’s TMC to Boost Biotechs

Young Houston biotech companies will, by late next year, have a new partner in Johnson & Johnson. The pharmaceutical giant said today that that it will house one of its J-Labs, formerly known as Janssen Labs, at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. J&J, which runs such programs in San Diego and Boston, will now … Continue reading “J&J to Open J-Labs Incubator at Houston’s TMC to Boost Biotechs”

J&J, GSK, Tekmira, And Others Take Next Steps To Fight Ebola

There’s been distressing Ebola-related news in recent days. The deadly virus continues to spread in West Africa, with more than 4,500 fatalities now reported, and efforts to halt its spread in the U.S. have been mired in controversy and confusion, forcing President Obama to appoint an Ebola “czar” to coordinate national response. But there’s good … Continue reading “J&J, GSK, Tekmira, And Others Take Next Steps To Fight Ebola”

Social Site Pink Petro Aims to Raise the Energy Industry’s XX-Factor

Katie Mehnert wants to leverage social media to support women in the energy industry. An energy veteran who has worked for both BP (NYSE: [[ticker:BP]]) and Shell (NYSE: [[ticker:RSDA]]), she is now developing Pink Petro, a Facebook-like website that she says is the first to be customized around women working in the oil and gas … Continue reading “Social Site Pink Petro Aims to Raise the Energy Industry’s XX-Factor”

As Atlas Splits, Is There A Case To Make In Venture For Specialists?

Readers of this column who are of a certain age might remember Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders in black eyeliner, dressed as a diner waitress singing, “I’m special, so special, and I gotta have some of your attention.” Swap “money” for “attention,” and it could be a refrain that venture capitalists are singing these days … Continue reading “As Atlas Splits, Is There A Case To Make In Venture For Specialists?”

NarrativeDx Lands $25,000 Seed Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=c68736e1-654b-471d-8b4f-20aa1ec1d8b9 Date 10/22/2014 Company Name NarrativeDx Mailing Address Undisclosed Austin, TX 73301 USA Company Description Big data analysis of patient feedback to improve the hospital customer experience and maximize Medicare reimbursement. Website Undisclosed Transaction Type Accelerator Transaction Amount $25,000 Transaction Round Seed Proceeds Purposes The company will use the proceeds to accelerate … Continue reading “NarrativeDx Lands $25,000 Seed Financing Round”

Good Technology Acquires Macheen for Undisclosed Sum

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=7ef5f7fa-2d7c-4b53-b609-a871d41d165e Date 10/21/2014 Company Name Macheen Mailing Address 9500 Arboretum Blvd. Austin, TX 78759 USA Company Description Macheen manages the complexity to enable device makers and retailers to ship devices with the Internet included, anywhere. Device makers and retailers brand the services and gain profitable, recurring revenue. Website http://www.macheen.com Transaction Type M&A … Continue reading “Good Technology Acquires Macheen for Undisclosed Sum”

Texas Roundup: DNAtrix, Nanolinea, Wireless Seismic, Illumitex, TMCx

Today, Nantucket is more known as a bucolic summer retreat, an island of sun-dappled cobblestone streets and historic markers. But I realized during my travels there last week that the island is also an example of the ebb-and-flow of innovation. Before it became a tourist destination, Nantucket was, during the 18th and part of the … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: DNAtrix, Nanolinea, Wireless Seismic, Illumitex, TMCx”

Shanghai Report: Big Questions About China’s Growth Plans

It only took a few days after I returned from China for my eyes to stop burning, and maybe the slight cough was really due to the changing seasons in Boston and not the air pollution in Shanghai (now I better understand the amenity in my hotel room—see below). A small price to pay to … Continue reading “Shanghai Report: Big Questions About China’s Growth Plans”

Innovation Hub: Introverts as Innovators

Entrepreneurs, bosses, and leaders are often highly social and extroverted—take Steve Jobs or Richard Branson. They can work a room. They derive energy from being around others. But what if being outgoing and extroverted isn’t actually the key to success in the workplace? Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World … Continue reading “Innovation Hub: Introverts as Innovators”

VC Funding Still Robust as Year-to-Date Total Exceeds 2013

Venture capital activity is down from a 13-year high during the second quarter, but a new MoneyTree Report released today shows that venture funding was still going strong in the three months that ended Sept. 30, with $9.9 billion invested in 1,023 deals. That was almost a 27 percent drop from the $13.5 billion that … Continue reading “VC Funding Still Robust as Year-to-Date Total Exceeds 2013”

Shelfbucks Obtains $2,100,419 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3f2f23d2-dca9-435f-ac2a-6ec2d02aac53 Date 10/16/2014 Company Name Shelfbucks Mailing Address 200 Academy Dr. Austin, TX 78704 USA Company Description Shelfbucks aims to level the playing field between physical and online retail. We will revolutionize the brand to consumer channel through mobile. Website http://www.shelfbucks.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $2,100,419 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds … Continue reading “Shelfbucks Obtains $2,100,419 New Funding”

Venture Firms Turn Down Funding Volume, but Still Rockin’ in Q3

Venture capital activity descended from the stratosphere during the third quarter, but it was still flying high, as venture firms invested nearly $9.8 billion in 879 deals across the United States, according to a report released today by the financial data firm CB Insights. The amount invested during the quarter was down 30 percent from … Continue reading “Venture Firms Turn Down Funding Volume, but Still Rockin’ in Q3”

DNAtriX Secures $20,000,000 Series B Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3e764dc7-5c08-4f3f-b5cf-d16aa89d641a Date 10/14/2014 Company Name DNAtriX Mailing Address One Greenway Plaza Houston, TX 77046 USA Company Description DNAtriX, Inc. is a Texas-based biotechnology company focused on the development of an oncoloytic virus platform initially for the treatment of malignant glioma. DNAtriX’s lead product, delta24RGD, is a next-generation adenovirus invented by company founder … Continue reading “DNAtriX Secures $20,000,000 Series B Funding Round”

Wireless Seismic Receives $4,500,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=2b2f3aa6-1139-443d-8a40-67437a461877 Date 10/14/2014 Company Name Wireless Seismic Mailing Address 13100 Southwest Freeway Sugar Land, TX 77478 USA Company Description Wireless Seismic was formed in 2006 to develop and introduce the RT 1000, a revolutionary seismic data acquisition system to the exploration and production industry, which capitalizes on emerging technologies in the seismic, … Continue reading “Wireless Seismic Receives $4,500,000 New Financing”

Illumitex Secures $3,985,866 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=8c10cb93-860c-4611-9c80-ca1e2a37ddc7 Date 10/14/2014 Company Name Illumitex Mailing Address 6301 E. Stassney Lane Austin, TX 78735 USA Company Description The company operates as an solid state lighting development company. Website http://www.illumitex.com Transaction Type Debt Transaction Amount $3,985,866 Transaction Round Undisclosed Proceeds Purposes Proceeds purposes were not disclosed. SEC regulatory filing. Contact technology company … Continue reading “Illumitex Secures $3,985,866 New Round”

Circular Energy Obtains $5,500,000 New Funding Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=125cf561-32a8-4dde-bbf9-ef5e16e77444 Date 10/14/2014 Company Name Circular Energy Mailing Address P.O. Box 1528 Austin, TX 78767 USA Company Description Circular Energy is the leading, full-service solar design-installation company in Texas. Homeowners and commercial property owners trust the Circular Energy team to help reduce their energy bills and their dependence on the volatile electricity … Continue reading “Circular Energy Obtains $5,500,000 New Funding Round”

ParLevel Garners $2,000,000 New Funding

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=bb39ce29-0c71-4675-8ceb-6cebdf56db09 Date 10/13/2014 Company Name ParLevel Mailing Address 112 East Pecan Street San Antonio, TX 78205 USA Company Description We have developed a machine-agnostic, low-cost device that connects any vending machine to the most powerful vending management system in the world. Vending machine operators eliminate guesswork by knowing which machines need service, … Continue reading “ParLevel Garners $2,000,000 New Funding”

Can Salesforce1 Push the Workforce into the Mobile Age?

Dreamforce 2014 is quickly approaching, and it has me thinking about the impact Salesforce (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CRM]]) has had on the way we work and more generally on the future of work itself. Dreamforce is the annual Salesforce user conference, and it has more or less become a must-attend event for anyone in the cloud computing … Continue reading “Can Salesforce1 Push the Workforce into the Mobile Age?”

What Seattle Needs (Part 3): Working Together to Revitalize Biotech

These are incredibly exciting times in biomedical research. Though the biopharmaceutical industry is in flux, prospects for a greater understanding of the disease process, and the development of new treatments, has never been brighter. Gilead Sciences’s new hepatitis C drug sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) will actually cure most patients of their infections, and replaces treatments that were … Continue reading “What Seattle Needs (Part 3): Working Together to Revitalize Biotech”

Atlas Wearables Garners $1,100,000 New Financing

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4191dfbe-6d6e-4e9e-8986-c35aac6ef733 Date 10/8/2014 Company Name Atlas Wearables Mailing Address Undisclosed Austin, TX 78610 USA Company Description Atlas is the first fitness tracker in the world that automatically tracks everything. With the on-wrist display you can track every movement across your entire workout and get live feedback to improve form and make adjustments … Continue reading “Atlas Wearables Garners $1,100,000 New Financing”

Texas Medical Center Makes Pitch to Boost Houston Biotech Startups

The Texas Medical Center is slated this week to unveil its new life sciences accelerator, to be housed in a former Nabisco cookie factory near its main Houston campus. The accelerator is part of a larger effort by the medical center, which is considered one of the world’s largest, to play a more active role … Continue reading “Texas Medical Center Makes Pitch to Boost Houston Biotech Startups”

So Far, Little Proof That Digital Health Is Healthy. Does It Matter?

Digital health is popular among investors, there’s no doubt. But is it good for us? Products such as fitness wristbands and online wellness coaching are generating buzz, and as a techno-skeptic I often roll my eyes at the trendy accessories and general assumption that life is easier online. Meanwhile, the funding keeps rolling in. Through … Continue reading “So Far, Little Proof That Digital Health Is Healthy. Does It Matter?”

What Seattle Needs (Part 2): Dealing With Amgen’s Upcoming Departure

Reality bites: Amgen’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:AMGN]]) decision to leave Washington state is a serious blow to our local bioscience ecosystem. Those who think that all of those people who got laid off (or choose not to relocate) will be able to find biopharma jobs here in Seattle are kidding themselves. Our community is not large and … Continue reading “What Seattle Needs (Part 2): Dealing With Amgen’s Upcoming Departure”

Texas Ebola Patient Gets Chimerix Drug, Clinical Trials Planned

Chimerix’s (NASDAQ: [[ticker:CMRX]]) lead antiviral drug candidate, which has already shown efficacy treating infections in transplant patients, is being called upon as an emergency Ebola treatment even as the company ramps up to test the drug in humans. The Durham, NC company said today its drug brincidofovir has been made available for treating Ebola, in … Continue reading “Texas Ebola Patient Gets Chimerix Drug, Clinical Trials Planned”

Austin Biotech Savara Nets $10M to Develop Cystic Fibrosis Drug

Savara Pharmaceuticals has raised $10 million in a bridge loan to further evaluate its drug candidate for cystic fibrosis. The therapy, called AeroVanc, is designed to be the first inhaled antibiotic to address methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, lung infections in people with CF. The drug is currently in a double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 clinical … Continue reading “Austin Biotech Savara Nets $10M to Develop Cystic Fibrosis Drug”

Taking a Hachette to Amazon in the Market for Dead Trees

There’s a strange battle going on right now. Weird enough to fit into the science fiction and fantasy section of your local bookstore, but with enough intrigue to make for a good thriller. One of the big five traditional New York publishing houses, Hachette, is mired in a guerrilla campaign against mega online retailer Amazon. … Continue reading “Taking a Hachette to Amazon in the Market for Dead Trees”

What Seattle Needs (Part 1): “Semi-Successful” Biotech Companies

I know what you’re thinking: that’s a pretty strange headline. Why would a city want to attract or build companies that are only “semi-successful?” Wouldn’t it want companies that are flourishing or expanding rapidly? Actually, here in Seattle, we don’t. Semi-successful companies are exactly what we need here as the river of economic change washes … Continue reading “What Seattle Needs (Part 1): “Semi-Successful” Biotech Companies”

Savara Pharmaceuticals Lands $10,000,000 New Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=4658ec8b-b5dc-4fb1-aa20-2604b68cbfc8 Date 10/6/2014 Company Name Savara Pharmaceuticals Mailing Address 900 S. Capital of Texas Highway Austin, TX 78746 USA Company Description Savara is a pharmaceutical company developing novel respiratory therapeutics utilizing our proprietary NanoCluster dry powder aerosol drug delivery platform.The aerosols are assembled directly from nanoparticles of an existing therapeutic and delivered … Continue reading “Savara Pharmaceuticals Lands $10,000,000 New Round”

AdBm Secures $1,300,000 Series A Financing Round

Feed Type Link http://www.venturedeal.com/Search/SearchResultTransactionDetail.aspx?TransactionId=3b291a4d-8cc9-4c5b-9f3a-8af337d0f603 Date 10/6/2014 Company Name AdBm Mailing Address Undisclosed Austin, TX 11100 USA Company Description AdBm Technologies is an Austin, TX based acoustical engineering company that specializes in developing high-performance, low-cost, and easy-to-deploy noise abatement technology for marine environments. Website http://www.adbmtech.com Transaction Type Venture Equity Transaction Amount $1,300,000 Transaction Round Series A … Continue reading “AdBm Secures $1,300,000 Series A Financing Round”